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Violent protests in Ukraine hit home in North Port

Daria Tomashosky, president of the Ukrainian-American Club of Southwest Florida, relies on the Internet and social media to stay informed about what is happening to anti-government protestors in her family's homeland. Tomashosky said Ukrainian-Americans in North Port are "110 percent" behind the movement to shed the Urkaine of Russian domination so it can become part of the European Union.

Published: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 5:39 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 5:39 p.m.

NORTH PORT - Walter Motyka, 91, knows firsthand about government brutality against the Ukrainian people.

In 1941, the KGB shot his 20-year-old sister Mary for being a member of an underground movement plotting against Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's regime. In the mid-1940s, his 20-year-old brother Myron died fighting as an insurgent.

Those memories resurface as Motyka watches and reads news reports about the current attacks on anti-government protesters in his homeland.

Motyka and many other members of North Port's large Ukrainian population blame the crackdown not just on the Ukrainian government, but also on Russia.

"Putin is the new Stalin," Motyka said of the Russian president.

The ongoing tensions are a daily source of talk and concern in North Port, where more than 1,400 residents — 2.4 percent of the city's population — are of Ukrainian descent. That is the highest concentration of any city in Florida.

Ukrainians started settling in North Port decades ago because of Warm Mineral Springs, a bathing destination similar to the hot springs found in Eastern Europe. As their presence increased, they built churches and formed cultural and social organizations.

"We're horrified," Doria Tomashosky, president of the Ukrainian-American Club of Southwest Florida, said about the ongoing violence. "We're in tears. We've been up all night watching the news channels."

Although she was born after her parents moved to Austria, Tomashosky is fluent in the Ukrainian language and familiar with its "every square mile." For 10 summers after Ukraine achieved its independence in 1991, she led other Ukrainian-Americans on tours of the country.

After months of unrest, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukoych ordered the crackdown by authorities that has led to bloody street violence. Although the Ukrainian people want their country to be part of the European Union, Yanukoych allied himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin — whose government is supporting and loaning money to the former Soviet republic.

North Port's Ukrainian-Americans are "110 percent" behind the movement to get the country out of Russian influence and into the European Union, Tomashosky said.

Halyna Klymuk Chomiak, a retired teacher in Naples and friend of Tomashosky, went to Kiev to serve as an interpreter for a journalist. Tomashosky is frequently checking her friend's Facebook messages.

On Wednesday, referring to a cathedral in Kiev, Chomiak wrote: "5 died last night in Mychajiwski Sobor."

Because of social media, however, witnesses are letting the world see the truth, he said.

Protesters say many of the riot police hired Russians dressed in Ukrainian uniforms who are beating and killing innocent people.

"This is not a civil war," Gene Tomashosky stressed. "It's a revolution against a tyrant."

Alex Terlecky of North Port went to Kiev to observe the protests on New Year's Eve and Day.

Terlecky also wants to dispel government propaganda that the protesters are "terrorists, thugs, malcontents and jobless bums."

"I saw people who are extremely determined and dedicated and standing up for their rights," Terlecky said. "This is not a riot. This is not a mob action. This is a people demanding a change in government and a system that lets a government to be corrupt."

Ukrainian media try to make it seem the protesters are in the hundreds, Terlecky said. "It's hundreds of thousands. The people are so courageous."

As the Tomashoskys continued to check news and social media sites Wednesday, they learned that Kiev had been blockaded and that police were reportedly taking the wounded out of hospitals to unknown destinations.

"They can't keep it hush-hush anymore," Klara Szpiczka of North Port said, referring to the unending streams of reports about the violence being spread around the world.

Szpiczka, who was born in the Ukraine, prays for cousins who live near Kiev. "I'm very, very afraid for my family."

She and others are convinced that Putin wants to rebuild the Soviet empire.

"If Ukraine falls, the U.S.S.R. is back on its feet again," Szpiczka said.

Olga Babchuk of North Port said her 27-year-old son Anton went to Kiev to visit family and is still there.

"All the schools, all the subways are closed," said Babchuk, who stays in contact with her son on Skype. "The banks are closed. Everything is closed. People are starting to panic. They're afraid they are running out of food."

Babchuk is anxious for Western Europe and the United States to impose sanctions or take other steps to thrawt Yanukovch's government.

"If America and the world don't help the Ukraine today, Putin will take over," Babchuk said. "Putin will not stop at anything. First, he'll try to take over Ukraine — then Europe slowly."

"The country deserves to have democracy," said Motyka, who is frequently looking for updates on news websites. "We all want independence."

Motyka hopes Yanukovych remembers what happened to Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator who was overthrown in 1989 and, with his wife, executed by a firing squad.

"It's going to end — eventually," Motyka said. "Ukraine will be independent again, but it will take awhile."

<p><em>NORTH PORT</em> - Walter Motyka, 91, knows firsthand about government brutality against the Ukrainian people.</p><p>In 1941, the KGB shot his 20-year-old sister Mary for being a member of an underground movement plotting against Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's regime. In the mid-1940s, his 20-year-old brother Myron died fighting as an insurgent.</p><p>Those memories resurface as Motyka watches and reads news reports about the current attacks on anti-government protesters in his homeland.</p><p>Motyka and many other members of North Port's large Ukrainian population blame the crackdown not just on the Ukrainian government, but also on Russia.</p><p>"Putin is the new Stalin," Motyka said of the Russian president.</p><p>The ongoing tensions are a daily source of talk and concern in North Port, where more than 1,400 residents — 2.4 percent of the city's population — are of Ukrainian descent. That is the highest concentration of any city in Florida.</p><p>Ukrainians started settling in North Port decades ago because of Warm Mineral Springs, a bathing destination similar to the hot springs found in Eastern Europe. As their presence increased, they built churches and formed cultural and social organizations.</p><p>"We're horrified," Doria Tomashosky, president of the Ukrainian-American Club of Southwest Florida, said about the ongoing violence. "We're in tears. We've been up all night watching the news channels."</p><p>Although she was born after her parents moved to Austria, Tomashosky is fluent in the Ukrainian language and familiar with its "every square mile." For 10 summers after Ukraine achieved its independence in 1991, she led other Ukrainian-Americans on tours of the country.</p><p>After months of unrest, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukoych ordered the crackdown by authorities that has led to bloody street violence. Although the Ukrainian people want their country to be part of the European Union, Yanukoych allied himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin — whose government is supporting and loaning money to the former Soviet republic.</p><p>North Port's Ukrainian-Americans are "110 percent" behind the movement to get the country out of Russian influence and into the European Union, Tomashosky said.</p><p>Halyna Klymuk Chomiak, a retired teacher in Naples and friend of Tomashosky, went to Kiev to serve as an interpreter for a journalist. Tomashosky is frequently checking her friend's Facebook messages.</p><p>On Wednesday, referring to a cathedral in Kiev, Chomiak wrote: "5 died last night in Mychajiwski Sobor."</p><p>Tomashosky's husband, Gene, frequently checks messages on Twitter posted by observers and protesters in Kiev.</p><p>"The Russian media says it's all thugs," he said.</p><p>Because of social media, however, witnesses are letting the world see the truth, he said.</p><p>Protesters say many of the riot police hired Russians dressed in Ukrainian uniforms who are beating and killing innocent people.</p><p>"This is not a civil war," Gene Tomashosky stressed. "It's a revolution against a tyrant."</p><p>Alex Terlecky of North Port went to Kiev to observe the protests on New Year's Eve and Day.</p><p>Terlecky also wants to dispel government propaganda that the protesters are "terrorists, thugs, malcontents and jobless bums."</p><p>"I saw people who are extremely determined and dedicated and standing up for their rights," Terlecky said. "This is not a riot. This is not a mob action. This is a people demanding a change in government and a system that lets a government to be corrupt."</p><p>Ukrainian media try to make it seem the protesters are in the hundreds, Terlecky said. "It's hundreds of thousands. The people are so courageous."</p><p>As the Tomashoskys continued to check news and social media sites Wednesday, they learned that Kiev had been blockaded and that police were reportedly taking the wounded out of hospitals to unknown destinations.</p><p>"They can't keep it hush-hush anymore," Klara Szpiczka of North Port said, referring to the unending streams of reports about the violence being spread around the world.</p><p>Szpiczka, who was born in the Ukraine, prays for cousins who live near Kiev. "I'm very, very afraid for my family."</p><p>She and others are convinced that Putin wants to rebuild the Soviet empire.</p><p>"If Ukraine falls, the U.S.S.R. is back on its feet again," Szpiczka said.</p><p>Olga Babchuk of North Port said her 27-year-old son Anton went to Kiev to visit family and is still there.</p><p>"All the schools, all the subways are closed," said Babchuk, who stays in contact with her son on Skype. "The banks are closed. Everything is closed. People are starting to panic. They're afraid they are running out of food."</p><p>Babchuk is anxious for Western Europe and the United States to impose sanctions or take other steps to thrawt Yanukovch's government.</p><p>"If America and the world don't help the Ukraine today, Putin will take over," Babchuk said. "Putin will not stop at anything. First, he'll try to take over Ukraine — then Europe slowly."</p><p>"The country deserves to have democracy," said Motyka, who is frequently looking for updates on news websites. "We all want independence."</p><p>Motyka hopes Yanukovych remembers what happened to Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator who was overthrown in 1989 and, with his wife, executed by a firing squad.</p><p>"It's going to end — eventually," Motyka said. "Ukraine will be independent again, but it will take awhile."</p><p>Terlecky shares that view. "Nothing can stop this now."</p><p><empty></p><p><empty></p><p><empty></p><p><empty></p>